Kirk Cousins signs contract with Redskins; reportedly four years, $2.5M

Posted: 10:45 AM ET May 31, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

Cousins inked his deal with the Redskins on Thursday morning. (Getty Images)
There aren't usually that many players drafted in the fourth round of the NFL draft who generate headline-worthy notes when they sign their contract. Kirk Cousins is one of them, for a number of reasons, and he said on Thursday that he has signed his deal with the Redskins.

Cousins is high profile thanks to a confluence of events: he's a quarterback, he's a high-profile player from a big college, he got drafted by the Redskins, and he got drafted by the Redskins using one of their few 2012 NFL draft picks, even though they traded up to No. 2 overall to grab Robert Griffin III. Whatever, the deal's done.

Just signed my contract. Officially a member of the Washington Redskins.

— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) May 31, 2012

And just in case you don't believe Cousins, the Redskins also tweeted the news, complete with a picture of Cousins looking perfectly Kirk Cousins-esque (aloof yet full of determined leadership and gumption) while signing his deal.

#Redskins to announce they have agreed to terms with fourth-round pick (102nd overall) QB Kirk Cousins: twitter.com/Redskins/statu…

— Redskins (@Redskins) May 31, 2012

According to NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah, the deal is worth $2.57 million over the four years, with a $472,688 signing bonus.

It's good that the Redskins got one of their drafted quarterbacks under contract -- Griffin remains unsigned as of right now -- but I still find it impossibly difficult for Mike Shanahan's team to justify nabbing another quarterback after using a slew of picks to trade up and grab RG3.

Cousins is competing for a back-up spot and the only way that the Redskins will need him to play any time soon is if a) Griffin gets hurt or b) Griffin is terrible. I'm not sure which scenario is worse.

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Tags: Kirk Cousins, Robert Griffin, Washington Redskins, NFL

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Chargers reportedly interested in Panthers' WR Smith

Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith cleared out his locker and packed his belongings from the Carolina Panthers' team facility last month.

Was it the first step in the next phase of his career? He has two years remaining on his current contract and is owed $7 million for 2011 and $7.75 million for '12.

Smith, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, wants to be traded and the Los Angeles native prefers a California landing spot. The paper, citing sources close to the situation, indicates the Chargers are extremely interested in acquiring Smith if he becomes available at the conclusion of the NFL lockout. At present, player movement is not allowed because the league is, technically, closed for official business.

Coach Ron Rivera, entering his first season as a head coach, has maintained that Smith is part of the team's future in Carolina.

"Steve's a Carolina Panther. That's a situation where as we go further on we'll address. We'll talk and he knows how I feel about things. My biggest thing is let us put it all together and see how it works, see if it's something that can work for all of us. That's probably the most important thing. But we have to do what's best for the Carolina Panthers," Rivera said in February.

Smith, 32, has played 10 NFL seasons, all with the Panthers, and has 52 touchdowns. But he began last season with a broken arm that kept him out of the preseason and never found a groove amidst a season-long quarterback issue in 2010. The Panthers went 2-14, leaning on rookie Jimmy Clausen after veterans Matt Moore and street free agent Brian St. Pierre went down with injuries.

In December, Smith said Clausen should apologize to the veterans in the huddle and said he had a lot to learn. Clausen had issued an apology to defensive captain Jon Beason for a poor peformance in a 31-10 loss to the Saints.

"I'm the last guy to tell anybody to be apologizing, but if you're going to apologize, you know, you should apologize to the people in the huddle with you," Smith said. "But he has a lot to learn. He ain't in Notre Dame anymore, that's for sure."

The Panthers used the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft on Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Whether Newton, a junior who won the Heisman Trophy and national championship in his lone season as a starter, can contribute immediately is open to debate. The current lockout, also prohibiting rookies from hands-on learning at the team facility, would seem to favor Clausen returning as the team's starter with Newton learning for most or all of his rookie season.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

View the original article here

Chargers reportedly interested in Panthers' WR Smith

Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith cleared out his locker and packed his belongings from the Carolina Panthers' team facility last month.

Was it the first step in the next phase of his career? He has two years remaining on his current contract and is owed $7 million for 2011 and $7.75 million for '12.

Smith, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, wants to be traded and the Los Angeles native prefers a California landing spot. The paper, citing sources close to the situation, indicates the Chargers are extremely interested in acquiring Smith if he becomes available at the conclusion of the NFL lockout. At present, player movement is not allowed because the league is, technically, closed for official business.

Coach Ron Rivera, entering his first season as a head coach, has maintained that Smith is part of the team's future in Carolina.

"Steve's a Carolina Panther. That's a situation where as we go further on we'll address. We'll talk and he knows how I feel about things. My biggest thing is let us put it all together and see how it works, see if it's something that can work for all of us. That's probably the most important thing. But we have to do what's best for the Carolina Panthers," Rivera said in February.

Smith, 32, has played 10 NFL seasons, all with the Panthers, and has 52 touchdowns. But he began last season with a broken arm that kept him out of the preseason and never found a groove amidst a season-long quarterback issue in 2010. The Panthers went 2-14, leaning on rookie Jimmy Clausen after veterans Matt Moore and street free agent Brian St. Pierre went down with injuries.

In December, Smith said Clausen should apologize to the veterans in the huddle and said he had a lot to learn. Clausen had issued an apology to defensive captain Jon Beason for a poor peformance in a 31-10 loss to the Saints.

"I'm the last guy to tell anybody to be apologizing, but if you're going to apologize, you know, you should apologize to the people in the huddle with you," Smith said. "But he has a lot to learn. He ain't in Notre Dame anymore, that's for sure."

The Panthers used the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft on Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Whether Newton, a junior who won the Heisman Trophy and national championship in his lone season as a starter, can contribute immediately is open to debate. The current lockout, also prohibiting rookies from hands-on learning at the team facility, would seem to favor Clausen returning as the team's starter with Newton learning for most or all of his rookie season.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

View the original article here